What to do When You Think You Might be Injured

It’s simple…over the years I have “magically cured” a lot of people’s injuries quickly because so many injuries are not really injuries, rather they are muscle spasms or knots that are causing pain and dysfunction.

This is not to say that these knots don’t cause major pain and problems…they do. It also doesn’t mean that they are to be ignored, because many spasms or knots are a sign that either something was tweaked and needs to be fixed, or that the shit is about to hit the fan (in other words, they are a warning signal to you that you are really going to get hurt.)

Muscle spams or knots can occur anywhere and to anyone. I don’t think there is a single person alive (maybe other than a baby) that doesn’t live with spasms or knots of some kind. Not all are going to kill you or cause problems. I have them in my neck and traps almost every day of my life as many people do.

I am talking more about the spontaneous knot or spasm that shows up after a training session that causes so much discomfort or pain that you think you have an injury. The truth is, you just might.

Knots occur naturally when you get injured (strain, sprain, etc.), for example, almost 100% of the time. So you have the pull (or strain) and also knots to go along with it. It is the body’s way of protecting itself. Sometimes knots occur for what seems like no good reason at all.

Be Proactive

I almost always tell people to foam roll, use a LAX ball, get a deep tissue massage, ART, etc… when there is pain or an injury.

(Note from Jay: I find the Voodoo Floss Bands to be extremely helpful with elbow, knee and ankle issues)

Take care of the knot or knots and you are at least half way to feeling much better. In some cases, getting rid of the knot might be all you need to do.

So, without even knowing what you did, just dealing with your soft tissue (i.e. knots, spams, adhesions) can really make a difference. So why not make that part of your plan? It really can’t hurt in the majority of the cases.

Avoid Movement Deficiencies & Dysfunction

The other thing to realize is that having knots or spasms can and will cause you to have movement deficiencies and cause dysfunction. When you are knotted up badly, you won’t function normally. This can cause pain, weakness and over time other problems.

The rotator cuff is a prime example. Many guys have major knots and adhesions in the cuff and don’t even realize it. It is many times the cause of shoulder pain and problems.

With my baseball guys I will take about 5 minutes at the end of their session and work the knots out of the rotator cuff and almost 100% of the time, tightness, pain and weakness are gone. They feel great and also report that they throw better and faster the next day.

It isn’t magic, rather it is what I call “Resetting the cuff” so it functions the way it is supposed to function. Add some proper strengthening to the routine and they tend to maintain this over time. This is something that we can all do anywhere in the body.

This is why soft tissue work is so important. We don’t always do it enough or correctly, but something is better than nothing. So, back to the original point…”Not all injuries are injuries.”

The take home message is that when you are in pain or feel like you just injured yourself (or both) you may have an injury. You also might just have some spasms. Either way, you will have spams and knots.

And, either way, taking care of those spasms will help you feel a lot better. Sometimes it can get rid of the problem in an instance. Sometimes it just makes things feel better.

***Don’t assume that you are NOT injured and you just have spams. Always assume that you might have an injury, but don’t panic either. That is why soft tissue work is vital and in many cases can be a great self-diagnostic tool too.

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About Jason Ferruggia

Jay Ferruggia is a fitness & lifestyle consultant who has helped thousands of guys get fit, get their shit together and start living awesome lives. He’s been featured in Men’s Fitness, Details, Men’s Health, ESPN, Muscle & Fitness, CBS, & Fast Company. His work is fueled by Renegade Coffee & old school hip hop.